Magnetic storage systems are utilized in a wide variety of devices in both stationary and mobile computing environments. Magnetic storage systems include hard disk drives (HDD), and solid state hybrid drives (SSHD) that combine features of a solid-state drive (SSD) and a hard disk drive (HDD). Examples of devices that incorporate magnetic storage systems include desktop computers, portable notebook computers, portable hard disk drives, servers, network attached storage, digital versatile disc (DVD) players, high definition television receivers, vehicle control systems, cellular or mobile telephones, television set top boxes, digital cameras, digital video cameras, video game consoles, and portable media players.
These numerous devices utilize magnetic storage systems for storing and retrieving digital information. Storage density is a measure of the quantity of digital information that can be stored on a given length of track, area of surface, or in a given volume of a magnetic storage medium. Higher density is generally more desirable since it allows greater volumes of data to be stored in the same physical space. Density generally has a direct effect on performance within a particular medium. Increasing the storage density of disks requires technological advances and changes to various components of a hard disk.